Mumbai, Jun 20 (IANS): Ahead of International Yoga Day on Friday, actor Rajeev Khandelwal, a sceptic, shared that his journey into the world of yoga has been nothing short of life-changing.

"I always treated yoga as a form of exercise for those who are lethargic and don’t want to indulge in the ‘real’ workout," said Rajeev.

The actor said: "As I stepped into the world of yoga, I realised how wrong I was. If I were to compare the two, I would say yoga is the real workout, which also enhances the potential of other workouts."

The actor emphasised that yoga has not only improved his physical fitness but has also significantly boosted his performance in other physical activities.

"Yoga has made my running better. My gym workouts give me much better results by cutting down the chances of injuries."

Among the myriad of yoga poses, Rajeev’s favourite is the headstand.

"I love headstands. They give me a sense of balance between my mind and body. I have mastered the art of doing it and can show off the pose anywhere, anytime," he said.

His most transformative experience with yoga has been through the practice of pranayama, the ancient art of controlled breathing.

"For me, the most transformative experience has been the breathing techniques. I was never the type who would even try it," he confessed.

"Now I wake up early only to do my pranayama. It kept me going even when I was Covid-positive. I didn’t take any medication. I just did my pranayama thrice a day."